Tumbling Down
by Bluetech
Summary: Creator:ArmyOfOne1112. The date of Blu and Jewel's first anniversary has finally come around, and Blu is determined to make it magical for his mate. He will soon learn that, when Fate steps in, the best-laid plans fall apart.
1. A Special Night Out

**A/N:**

**All the praise/criticism this story earns should be split between me and ArmyOfOne1112.**

**This idea came straight from his mind. I am merely the one who put it together.**

**Don't forget to review. We both need it!**

**Enjoy, everyone...**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1:A Special Night Out<strong>

There comes a time in every couple's existence when the day their lives were forever joined, their hearts fused together, and their spirits harmonized comes around again and must be celebrated studiously. That date has been forever immortalized in each of their minds, and for either party to forget those very special twenty-four hours is a grievous mistake.

For Blu and Jewel, the last surviving pair of Spix's Macaws, that day has just begun. The sun shone gloriously as it peeked its face above the horizon, silently acknowledging the special occasion with its heated rays.

They, alone in the cannonball tree that has been their home for one solid year, are painted by those luscious rays and lifted from their sleep.

Blu shifted in the nest beside his mate and yawned widely before saying, "That feels good. Good morning, Jewel."

The female parted her eyelids, but is promptly blinded by the influx of rays and flinches back.

"Here, let me block the sun for you."

Blu stepped from the nest and planted his body firmly in front of his mate, casting a cool shadow over her sleek form. She regained her composure and stared at Blu with her luscious pair of aurora-green irises.

"Thank you, Blu. And good morning to you as well."

"You are very welcome."

Blu dipped into a short bow before stepping forward and kissing her gently on the beak.

"I can't believe it's already been one year since you threw yourself from the plane and saved me, Blu. There's this warm feeling deep inside me," Jewel lifts her talon and taps the spot above her heart before continuing, "That I can't explain. It's so... enchanting. I never imagined I'd be feeling something so magical, but look at me now. I'm with the bird I love, and that's all that matters."

"I feel it too, honey. If I hadn't saved you from falling into a watery grave, then I wouldn't be standing here either. Now that we're together, our lives have real purpose. And trust me, this first anniversary, _our _first anniversary, is going to be the most splendid of them all."

Jewel extricated herself from the collection of twigs and vine and drew up to Blu, her chest lightly contacting his.

"I'll hold you to that, mister. I suppose you're not going to tell me what you have in store for me, are you?"

A mischievous glint flickered in his eyes, accompanied by a playful smile.

"Absolutely not! This is going to be as much as a surprise for me as it is for you, and I will not spoil it."

Jewel affected a serious expression and replied, "What do you mean? Didn't you plan the anniversary yourself?"

"Well, I pulled some strings here and there with some of Rafael's friends, but I don't know much about the specifics. All I know is where we're supposed to be and when we have to be there by."

"I see. Well, being as it's only just after sunrise, why don't we go grab a bite to eat? All of the anticipation and romantic talk has left me kind of hungry."

Blu ambled towards the hole in the trunk and stopped right on the lip. Jewel attempted to follow, but he stretched his wing out once more and held her back.

"Don't you want me to come with you?"

"I don't mean to leave you out, but no. I will search the jungle for a fitting breakfast and bring the food back here."

Jewel smiled her liquefying smile and replied, "Your courtesy just tickles me, Blu. No wonder I love you so much."

"I do all I can for you, my queen..."

Blu planted a quick kiss on her beak before leaping from the hollow.

Jewel sank down on her stomach, concealing her legs from view beneath her aquamarine feathers.

"He's so thoughtful and loving. He'll be the one to keep me happy, for as long as I live..."

As Blu cut his way across the clearing, he plainly heard the chants of the other avian species as they heralded the sunrise. The lyrics worked their way into his mind and flooded him with a sense of elation and wonder.

_And this is why I live in the jungle. Everything is so cheery and uplifting. Jewel was right, the jungle is the most fascinating place to live in on this entire planet. One day, we'll be raising our children here and showing them what a perfect place this is..._

This thought ran through Blu's head for a few seconds, but he pushed it away to make room for a more pressing matter: _That lies in the future. But for now, I need to focus on the present, which means finding food for Jewel. What does she love to eat? Oh yes, mangoes! I'll bring her some-_

Blu was so lost in his musings that he crossed the clearing and came upon the border quite quickly. He did not notice the banana tree that lay in his path, and so he struck it with reasonable force. The blow dazed him and caused him to tumble out of the air and landing roughly at the base of the offending plant.

Blu lay on the ground for several seconds before picking himself up and checking his body for damage. However, it was not what he saw that convinced him he was injured, but what he _felt._ A rivulet of blood trickled from his forehead and wound its way down the side of his beak before dripping onto the ground at his feet.

"Ouch! Now I'll have to explain this to Jewel and hope it heals before tonight! I may need to pay a visit to Tulio this afternoon..."

Blu ripped a leaf from a nearby ground-hugging vine and wiped away the blood as best he could, being as he had no way to observe his reflection.

_Now, _he swore mentally, _I am going to find some plump, juicy and sweet mangoes for us before I knock myself silly! What do you know, plump, juicy, and sweet reminds me of Jewel..._

Blu smiled at the comparison and used the burst of warmth that followed to chase away the stinging of his forehead. He walked past the border and rose into flight, keeping his eyes peeled for a mango tree that bore worthy fruit for him and his mate.

He scoured the local area while flying in a zigzag pattern, and it did not take him long to come upon a stately tree that sagged under the weight of dozens of healthy orange fruits. Blu alighted on one of the drooping upper branches and gripped the bough tightly.

Blu scanned his talon among the fruits and selected the two largest he could find.

_These two are really big! They should fill our stomachs nicely..._

Blu tore the first one off and held it in his left foot. He then fastened the other foot around the second mango's stem and dropped from the branch. The pull of gravity on his body cleanly separated the fruit from its parent tree, and as soon as Blu felt the stem snap, he spread his wings and flapped them to stop his fall and gain forward speed.

The mangoes were indeed quite large, but Blu had spent most of his life hoisting tomes around in Blue Macaw Books, and thus their weight was entirely manageable. On top of that, Blu's gift of flying only amplified the efficiency of his muscular prowess.

He coursed through the rainforest at a fair pace, and by the time he returned to the hollow he shared with Jewel, the jungle song had faded away. Blu hovered and let the mangoes fall to the floor before alighting on the sturdy wood floor and looking upon a shocked Jewel.

"Blu, why is there a red line on your forehead? Did you get hurt?"

"Yeah. I ran into a banana tree while thinking about what to bring you for breakfast. It still hurts, but it'll heal. I was planning on having Tulio check it over and clean it up this afternoon. I don't want to risk it getting infected."

Jewel stepped up to her brave mate and kissed the wound tenderly.

"I hope that makes it feel better."

"Your kisses heal everything, honey. I don't know how, but they do."

Jewel peered deep into his warm chocolate eyes and replied, "Let's hope that never changes, clumsy. Now come on, let's eat. I see you've brought back some pretty hefty mangoes."

Blu chuckled at her playful comment about his nature and held a mango right in front of Jewel's beak.

"Ladies first, my love."

She gave him a warm smile and took a welcome bite from the fruit before grabbing it with her foot. Blu then lifted the other to his beak and munched away on it in time with Jewel.

The silence they shared while they ate was a blissful one, and if being in the same hollow wasn't enough, they scooted together until they were side by side and consumed their meal.

Once the last chunks made their way into Blu and Jewel's stomachs, the macaws cleaned each others beaks with playful tongue-licks. It was not a seductive act – Blu and Jewel giggled the entire time, and adding to the innocence of the maneuver was the fact that the season was fall and their hormones were at an all-time low.

Once their laughter was stilled and their faces genuinely clean, Blu snuggled close to his mate and asked, "Why don't we take a little nap to pass the time? Once we wake up, we'll stop by Tulio's so I can get this cut cleaned."

"Sounds good to me, handsome. What should we do after that?"

"I don't really know. We have to be at our... secret place by eight o'clock in the evening, so we'll have to come up with some way to while away the hours. But we'll worry about that when we wake up."

"Alright, Blu. Whatever you... hey!" Blu squeezed her against his chest and lifted her off the ground before carrying her to the nest. He gently placed her back on her feet and climbed in beside her.

"That was... kind of exciting! You're stronger than you look, handsome..."

"Is that so? Well, thank you. A lifetime of lugging books around and flapping my wings constantly to stay balanced must have bestowed upon me a significant muscle mass."

"Nerd..." chided Jewel as she wrapped her left wing around Blu's warm body.

"Just one of my many positive qualities. See you soon, my temptress."

"Right back at you, my love-hawk..."

The sun's angle was high enough that direct sunlight no longer entered the hollow, allowing a comforting shadow to fill the space. A dreamy ambiance shrouded the two macaws, causing them to succumb to the allure of sleep, which was in itself a dream...

The sun rolled along the ecliptic like a marble rolling along a syrup-covered track as the hours crept by. Its angle relative to the horizon steadily increased in magnitude until it arrived at the zenith, its purely vertical rays beating down upon the land and heating it intensely.

It was this oven-like heat that forced the two macaws out of their slumber.

They realized the full effects of the heat once their senses had fully been restored, causing them both to leave the nest in flustered moods.

"Ugh. This heat is stifling! I thought today was going to be pleasant, but I guess the sun had other plans." remarked Blu irritably.

"I hope it cools off as evening approaches. This is hardly the weather for an anniversary! This really upsets me."

"Well, there's nothing we can do to change it, Jewel, so I guess we'll just have to deal. I'll bet you my tail-feathers that Tulio and Linda have the air conditioners inside the sanctuary on full blast. We might as well get some relief there."

Jewel nodded sincerely and replied, "Good point. Let's go..."

Jewel fled the hollow first and wheeled about in the direction of the sanctuary, but once she had reached a fair distance from the tree, Blu drifted in beside her.

The two macaws powered on towards the safe haven as fast as they dared, for their flight speed had to be maintained in a sort of limbo with the heat.

If they flew too fast, the extra activity of their muscles would only serve to raise their body temperature and could prove dangerous. On the other hand, if they flew too slow, the bright sun high above would bake their bodies and merit the same effect.

They used the canopy for cover, which gave them just enough relief from the sun's direct rays to ease their flight.

Once the ivory walls flashed between the foliage, Blu and Jewel blasted ahead for the final stretch and landed right at the threshold of the mahogany front door. A series of needy taps by Blu's beak were answered by a pleasantly surprised Linda, who ushered them in with a sweep of her hand and a warm greeting.

Just as Blu had predicted, the air was saturated with a welcoming chill, reminding him of his former life in Moose Lake. He shivered with delight as he and Jewel perched on Linda's left arm, but her smile immediately faded upon seeing Blu's head wound.

"What did you do to your head, Blu? Are you alright?"

Blu shrugged his shoulders in indecision and then performed a wiping motion with his wing, running it over his face several times.

"Do you want Tulio to clean it? Is that what you mean?"

Blu nodded his head gently and issued a restrained squawk.

Her powers of understanding were remarkable to Jewel, as if they had some sort of silent vocabulary unique to just them alone.

"You know Blu, I wonder if there's a way for you to teach me how to speak without words, the way you just did with Linda."

"I don't think such a thing can be taught, Jewel. It took a long time to develop, and being as there's a language barrier between us, it was the only way I could tell her things. It's really not as exciting as it seems."

Jewel let out a short sigh and replied, "I understand. It's just... strange, that's all. It makes me curious."

As Linda tromped down the hall, poking her head into each lab in the search for Tulio, Jewel carefully eased her way towards Blu. Granted, the air was refreshingly cold, but it had managed to seep past Jewel's feathers and lower her body temperature to an uncomfortable level.

She pressed herself up against Blu and muttered, "I'm cold."

Blu extended his right wing and wrapped it around his mate, just as eager to share the warmth in their bodies as she.

Linda eventually found Tulio upon entering the fourth lab, spying him bent over a Military Macaw and conversing with one of his assistants.

Linda stopped just inside the door of the exam room and said, "Tulio, dear, I need your help. Or rather, Blu needs your help."

Tulio turned away from his colleague walked up to his wife, adjusting his glasses and removing Blu from his wife's arm.

"I see what you mean. You've got a pretty good laceration on your head, Blu. Let's get that disinfected and bandaged up right away."

Tulio walked over to the counter and set Blu down before scrounging around in a drawer for several seconds. He withdrew a small paper square and a short strip of gauze, along with some surgical tape.

Linda came and stood beside her husband, leaving Jewel close enough to the linoleum to hop down and sidle up to Blu.

"This is going to sting Blu, but that's how you know it's working."

Tulio tore open the paper packaging and withdrew a square-shaped antiseptic towel. Blu closed his eyes and tensed his muscles as Tulio rubbed the cut. It did indeed sting, but Jewel's embrace allowed him to fight the pain and not cry out.

Tulio then ripped off a small section of gauze and held it over the wound before taping it in place. The strip of white tape began just above Blu's beak, crossed over the gauze, and then terminated just below Blu's sprig of head feathers.

Tulio drew back, crossed his arms, and studied his handiwork.

"That should do it, Blu! Just remember to keep that on for at least another eight hours. It has to have time to heal, or it will get infected and then I'll have to perform more serious treatment on you."

Blu nodded in agreement, but internally, he was not pleased. He turned away from the humans and locked eyes with his mate, a scowl on his face.

"I look like an idiot, don't I?"

"Well... you... sort of. Regardless, you're still handsome. That has to count for something."

Blu huffed in halfhearted agreement and replied, "I guess so. I don't care what Tulio tells me, I _am not_ going out with this stuck to my head."

"If you feel that strongly about it, I won't force you to leave it on when we leave for our anniversary trip. But until then, I don't want to see you trying to take it off."

Her tone was serious, but carried the undertones of female instinct.

_She'll make a wonderful mother once we decide to have children, that's for sure. Tough love may seem harsh to them, but they'll learn it's for the best..._

Blu cut off his aspiring train of thought as Linda scooped him up and planted him on her right shoulder.

"Now that you're all fixed up, what do you want to do? It's really hot outside, and to be honest, I was hoping you'd stay here for awhile. That is if you and Jewel want to."

Blu nodded his head carefully before inviting Jewel over with a sweep of his wing. Jewel perched on Linda's right arm and squawked happily.

Linda craned her head towards her husband and asked, "I guess I'm going to go watch TV and spend some quality time with these two. Are you coming too?"

Tulio shook his head and replied, "Sorry Linda, but I'm busy teaching Javier over there how to treat a fever, among other things. He's new here, you know how it goes."

Linda merely patted Tulio on his shoulder and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Okay then. I'll leave you to your ornithologist duties."

Linda walked towards the exam room door, and just before it slid shut, she heard Tulio's mellow voice say, "Bye, Linda. I love you!"

She shuffled back down the hall until coming upon the quite-large living room that took up some of the space on the right side of the building. Linda eased herself down onto the firm leather couch and grabbed the remote that had been laying next to her.

Blu and Jewel climbed down from their respective perches and settled themselves next to Linda's right leg as she flicked on the TV. Linda recognized it as the one o'clock news session and peered intently at the screen while the reporter droned on.

The Portuguese streaming from the speakers was easily decoded by Blu and Linda, for they had been taught the language over the past year by their respective mentors, Jewel and Tulio.

"How long should we stay here, Blu? I think we should go visit Rafael and Eva before evening comes, and maybe even Nico and Pedro."

Blu shifted into a more comfortable position and replied, "I say we stay here until about... five o'clock, and then we can go talk with them."

"Alright then."

Blu and Jewel turned back to the TV and immersed themselves in the news broadcast, their minds buzzing with anticipation. For some reason, time seemed to pass more slowly to Blu and Jewel while in the company of Linda.

The news session ended at two o'clock, only to be replaced by an enticing cooking show. The effect it had on Blu and Jewel was immediate, and so the male macaw asked his owner to bring them some food. They munched happily on small crackers and shared a large glass of mango juice while the show progressed.

That was how Blu and Jewel enjoyed their stay at the aviary: engrossed in cooking shows while snuggled up with each other, and receiving gentle pats courtesy of Linda from time to time.

As content as he was, Blu was no fool, and so he routinely checked the time by glancing at the clock mounted above the front door. Although he willed for the hands of the clock to move faster, they showed no signs of being affected, and so the hours dragged on at a sluggish pace.

By the time the clock showed four forty-five in the afternoon, Blu was growing agitated and had to be calmed down by his mate.

As soon as the clock struck five and another news session bloomed to life on the TV, Blu conveyed his wish to write something to Linda, who left her spot and went on the search for a pencil and paper. Once she returned and handed him the supplies, he told her the significance of this very day and how he planned to celebrate it with his beloved.

Linda – who had not known about Blu and Jewel's special date until now – was surprised by the suddenness of the announcement, but still managed to praise Blu for his commitment. After a bout of hugging and lathering Blu with pride, she placed him back on the couch, regained her composure, and congratulated Jewel with equal praise.

Once the flurry of emotion in the room had settled down, Blu and Jewel bid goodbye to Linda, who returned the farewells and peeled the front door open for them. They burst from the sanctuary and were met by the lingering afternoon heat, but they steeled their will and powered off towards the home of their dear toucan friends.

After a good ten minute flight, they landed on the ground a few feet away from a slightly deformed tree and checked their surroundings for Rafael and Eva.

"I... don't think they're here, Jewel. There's no sign of them or their eighteen crazed children."

"Well, why don't we wait and see if they show up?"

"I don't see why not. Let's take shelter in their hollow..."

Blu and Jewel lofted up to the hollow and tucked themselves far towards the rear of the sizable space. A deep shadow allowed them to lower their abnormally high body temperatures while they waited.

Not long after their arrival, a flurry of competitive shouts filtered into their ears, growing rapidly louder by the second. Blu and Jewel shuddered at the noise, fearing that they were about to experience the wrath of eighteen feisty chicks.

"Blu, I think they're coming!" whispered Jewel.

"I know. It's too late for us to escape. I just hope Rafael and Eva come to our rescue before we get pulverized..."

The endless stream of voices grew very close, and as the macaws fixed their eyes on the opening just ahead, their worst fears were realized. One by one, a large group of toucan chicks crowded their way into the hollow, extinguishing their voices as they spied Blu and Jewel huddled in the far corner.

Blu clamped his eyes shut and cried, "Looks like we won't be leaving without a few bruises and cuts, Jewel!"

"I am telling you right now, we will _never _have this many children!"

After a tense silence, Blu and Jewel never felt the pinch of their feathers being ripped out or the ache as their stomachs were used as living trampolines. They hesitantly opened their eyes and saw the crowd of comparatively tiny toucans clustered around them.

"What the?" said a confused Blu. "Aren't you going to attack Jewel and I?"

One of the chicks shook his head and replied sweetly, "No way, Uncle Blu! That thing you have on your head makes you look too cute and funny to attack."

Jewel adopted a curious expression and asked, "Then why aren't you all piling onto _me_? I don't have anything on _my _head."

Another chick looked up at Jewel with tender eyes and replied, "Daddy told us it was your any-ver-ser-sary... or something..."

Jewel chuckled and picked up the chick with her wings.

"It's anniversary, little one. And thank you for being so kind. I thought we were goners!"

"You're welcome."

Blu stared directly at the chick Jewel was holding and asked, "Where are Rafael and Eva?"

"Oh, they're coming! They took all every one of us to a river for our weekly baths."

Jewel released the chick and cuddled with another, and being as the chicks looked so adorable – and quite clean from their recent baths – Blu mimicked her.

Moments later, a powerful gust of wind swept through the hollow and announced the entry of the toucan parents.

"Blu! Jewel! How have you been today?" queried Rafael as he waded through the pool of toucans and hugged the two macaws.

"Pretty well, except for the scorching heat outside, and the cut I got this morning while searching for breakfast. What about you and Eva?"

"Not bad, Blu. The heat is pretty bad, but we've gotten used to it. Right now, we're just excited for you and Jewel. Tonight is going to be one of the most charming nights you'll ever experience! I can still remember the first anniversary I shared with Eva..."

The female toucan walked up beside Rafael and wrapped a wing around him.

"So can I. You'll wish for your anniversary to last forever. I know I did."

"Well, it may not last forever, but as long as I'm with Jewel, I'll be happy."

Blu leaned over and kissed Jewel on the beak lightly.

"Have you told her where you are going?"

"No way, Eva! Besides, I don't know very many details."

Eva locked Jewel in a proud gaze and said, "If what Rafael told me is true, you are going to have the surprise of your lifetime. Blu is taking you to one of the-"

Blu's jovial expression morphed into one of horror as Eva droned on, causing Rafael to wrap his great black wings around his wife's beak.

"Okay, that's enough, Eva! No more anniversary talk around Blu and Jewel."

After his words sank in, he lowered his wings from Eva's beak cautiously. She caught sight of Blu's pained expression and hung her head in shame. Blu gave a long sigh of relief, but an irritated bite had buried itself within his voice.

"Be more careful next time, Eva! You are my friend and all, but you shouldn't talk about these things so lightly."

"I'm sorry, Blu. I came really close to spoiling your surprise, and I would never forgive myself. It's just that... I am so proud of you both..."

An awkward silence ensued, with Rafael trying to perk up his mate and Jewel trying to dispel Blu's agitation. She leaned in close to him and whispered, "You know how her emotions can get the better of her sometimes, Blu. It's how she is."

"That's no excuse! She was a just few words away from irrevocably ruining everything. I want this day to be _perfect _for you, my love, and having my surprise exposed prematurely... I don't want to even think about that..."

Blu shivered with despair at the thought, but Jewel's touch helped him chase it away.

"But she _didn't_ ruin it, so everything's okay. Trust me. I still have no clue about what's going to happen tonight."

"If you say so."

"So, what should we talk about, everyone?" asked Rafael with unnecessary volume.

A new alertness flooded the hollow in the wake of the outburst. Jewel cleared her throat and replied, "Want to know how Blu got his head wound and why that white stuff is on his head?"

Both Rafael and Eva inched closer to Jewel, their gazes expectant, while the throng of toucan chicks pressed themselves closer to her as well.

"We do! We do!" chanted the chicks.

"I'll bet it has something to do with his clumsiness!" said Eva with a chuckle.

"If this is going to turn into one big point-and-laugh party, I won't stick around and be ridiculed."

Jewel ignored her husband's serious tone and punched him playfully in the chest.

"You can't just ditch me like that. It's our anniversary."

After a heavy pause, Blu grumbled and replied, "Fine. You win... for now."

Jewel lowered herself onto her stomach and assumed a comfortable pose.

"So, this morning, after we woke up..."

Jewel recounted the painful tale of her mate from beginning to end, and instead of giving a reason for the toucans to scorn him, they sympathized with the macaw and let out bursts of innocent laughter. Blu's mood softened considerably during the course of Jewel's speech, and he even laughed along with them at times.

Being as that was the richest conversation Jewel could think of – along with the fact that the anniversary topic was now taboo – the group of neighbors started up bouts of small talk and engaged in light play with the toucan chicks.

Blu would periodically stride over to the hollow and peer out to gauge the position of the sun. He decided that they would depart once that fiery orb touched the canopy of the jungle to the west of them. He did not know exactly what time that would be, but it would leave just enough time left for them to conduct a short chat with Nico and Pedro.

Eventually, hunger pangs seized every one of the twenty two feathered creatures, and they simply could not resist the allure of eating a late afternoon meal. Blu – for fear of having Jewel discover the specifics of their late-night getaway – heartily agreed to dine with them.

Jewel also accepted the offer, causing Blu to sigh inwardly with momentous relief.

_I just dodged another bullet! Although we should be saving room for the restaurant's food, I have to play it cool. Had I refused to eat, it wouldn't have taken Jewel very long to uncover the hidden truth, and that is a risk I will not take. Hopefully I'll be able to work off some of the food before the sun sets..._

"Blu? Blu!" Blu was torn from his mental reverie by the sound of Jewel's voice, and when he took in his surroundings, he noticed just he and his mate were present on the hollow.

"Hey, easy! Where did the others go?"

"They left to search for some food. Now come on, or we're going to lose them!"

Jewel grabbed hold of his wing and pulled him towards the entrance, causing him to trip right as he neared the edge and tumble through the air. He spread his wings moments before hitting the ground and steadied his flight. The weaving black mass of toucans was visible a fair distance away, while Jewel was much closer in comparison.

_The enthusiasm! The energy! I wonder where she gets it..._

Blu raced to catch up with his splendid mate, and after throwing her a quick nod, they flew even faster in an effort to catch up with the bodies of their toucan friends.

The combined visual field of the party of birds was stunning, and nearly two minutes into the flight, they located a plentiful grove of starfruit trees that seemed to beckon to their growling stomachs. They all alighted in their own trees and began to munch with delight upon the tangy yellow fruits.

Blu expertly masked his disdain at prematurely filling his stomach by consuming three of the fruits before calling it quits. His charade convinced Jewel that he was truly full, and she sensed that nothing was amiss.

She herself ate two of the yellow morsels, and when the band of toucans weren't paying attention, allowed her mate to lick the tangy residue from her beak. She reciprocated the action, swearing to herself that now wasn't the only time she would savor Blu's intimacy.

The love-drunk macaws patiently waited until the toucans had had their fill, at which point Blu flew up above the grove to check on the sun. When he landed, he informed her that it was now scraping the canopy, meaning that now would be a good time to depart.

"Rafael? Eva?" asked the macaws simultaneously.

Their striking orange beaks pointed towards the macaws like ornate daggers.

"Jewel and I are going to leave now. We want to pay a quick visit to Nico and Pedro before... you know..."

"Of course, my blue buddy! I hope you two have a wonderful time."

"Remember," cut in Eva, "This is a time to celebrate the journey that got you here in the first place. You will have each others undivided attention, and do not be afraid to show the depth of love you both share, even if it means getting a little intimate."

Jewel nodded and replied, "Thanks for the advice, Eva. We'll keep that in mind."

"If you feel up to it, stop by tomorrow and tell us how it went, okay?"

"Sure thing, Rafael! Bye!" shouted Blu as he took off into the sky.

Jewel paused and added, "Goodbye, little ones!" before blasting off and chasing after her mate.

In the deep orange light of the Rio sky, created by the setting sun, Blu and Jewel plowed through the air in the direction of Nico and Pedro's residence.

The once-scorching atmosphere had cooled reasonably over the past few hours, almost as if the sun was setting the mood for Blu and Jewel's coming celebration: a laid-back yet amorous escapade.

Blu no longer felt any residual ache from his forehead, so Blu hovered in flight and asked his mate to peel the gauze away. Being careful not to strip any of his feathers away, she removed the healing bandages and let them plummet to the jungle floor.

All that could be seen was a tiny patch of matted feathers; the cut had healed itself completely, and no traces of blood or debris had been left behind. Now that Blu's offending bandage had been removed, the pair of amacaws resumed their journey.

It did not take them long to find their destination, at which point they glided downwards and entered the hollow with a flourish. Much to their dismay, the gust of wind that resulted awoke the sleeping pair of birds, who promptly jumped from their nests and bounced up to Blu and Jewel.

"What's crackin', you two?" queried Pedro.

"We haven't seen either of you for a long time! What's up?" added Nico.

"Well, tonight is the night that Jewel and I have officially been together for one whole year. Rafael helped me organize a special event for us both!"

Nico and Pedro's disheartened expressions shocked the pair of macaws deeply.

"Hey guys, what's wrong? Is it something Blu said?"

"Tonight's the big night for Love-Hawk and Hot Wings and you didn't tell us? That's messed up! Pedro and I got connections too! We woulda hooked you up..."

The macaws were dragged down by the weight of of true shame and disrespect, as evidenced by their slumped postures and downcast voices.

"We're really sorry. It's just that Rafael was so eager to help Blu that he couldn't refuse." muttered Jewel.

"And on top of that, we know how attracted you both are to our relationship, if you know what I mean. We just didn't want you to... spoil our evening by showing up uninvited and trying to 'set the mood.' " added Blu.

A deadly silence hammered home the grievousness of Blu and Jewel's act, and although they put up a strong defense, their spirits were not lifted.

"Hey, don't be sad. We see what you mean." Pedro's mellow voice caused Blu and Jewel to look up at him. "We do like to get crazy sometimes, and you were some smart birds to not tell us until now."

"Really?"

"Of course, Blu. Still, if you didn't want us to interfere, all you had to do was let us know."

"I guess I was too wrapped up with Rafael to think of that. Once again, I'm sorry for letting you down."

The canary and cardinal lifted Blu's head with a few pushes from their wings, and then did the same with Jewel.

"We're still happy that you made it this far. Looks like our love lessons really did work, ain't that right, Nico?"

"Heck yeah! You guys are one year in, so I guess we did a pretty sweet job!"

"Well, if you say so..." replied the female casually.

Blu broke away from the others and peeked out of the hollow for a few seconds. The sky had faded to a strange bluish-orange hue, and as Blu peered off towards the west, he could just make out the limb of the sun sinking below the edge of the canopy.

He scurried up beside Jewel and said, "Jewel, I'm sorry to interrupt, but we have to go. We can't afford to be late! My attempt at perfection is still untarnished, and I don't want to damage it now!"

Jewel was surprised by the intensity in his normally calm voice.

_He's trying so hard to make_ _this night feel special_. _It really means that much to him. Sometimes I wonder if he's just a little too good for me..._

"Oh, okay Blu."

"If you need to leave, we won't hold you back. You better make sure to spread the love!" exclaimed the canary.

"We'll see you two 'round. Keep it spicy!" added the cardinal.

Blu led Jewel to the lip of the hollow and motioned for her to fly out first, but she shook her head.

"No. You lead the way this time."

"Very well, my love..."

Blu glided away from the hollow on an easterly course, the dying rays of the sun painting his back a menagerie of hues. Jewel obediently followed, and she felt her heart flutter from the mystery of what Blu had in store for her.

_I don't know what to expect! Whatever it is, I know it'll be so lovely. Blu's put so much planning and effort into this that I know it'll be nothing short of spectacular..._

The city of lights that was Rio began to glow on the horizon, but as the pair of macaws left the jungle and drifted above the city, the light was neither too bright nor too dim.

The sun had nearly set, but not totally, creating an eclectic mix of natural and artificial lighting that pleased the senses.

Jewel followed her mate as he made a beeline for the bay, noticing they were substantially high above the ground, and basically the whole of Rio could be seen from their vantage point. Blu swept his head from left to right, scanning the buildings below in his search for the rooftop that was his destination.

_Where is it? Rafael said to look for a really tall hotel with a dark green covering. It should be right beside the bay..._

Blu heard a burst of wing-flaps behind him, and within moments, Jewel was drifting along beside him.

"Is everything okay, honey?"

"Yeah. I'm just having trouble finding our destination."

"Then everything's not okay. Just be honest, Blu. Then I won't have a reason to get upset."

The male merely sighed and continued searching, unable to find a way to counter Jewel's logic.

After another minute of silent searching, Blu exclaimed, "Yes! There it is! Come on Jewel, our place of celebration awaits..."

Blu dove at a steep angle towards the massive building, and Jewel recognized it as one of the largest hotels in Rio. However, the fact that he was leading her towards the rooftop utterly confused her. As they plummeted ever closer to the rooftop, Blu veered to the left and skidded to a stop on a patch of asphalt that ran the length of the building on the eastern side.

Only a small wall stood between them and a sheer drop to the distant street below.

As Jewel turned to her left, she was instantly stunned by what she saw: a deep green, cloth-like material was hanging over what seemed to be the _entire _top of the hotel, save for the patch of gravel that served as a landing strip.

What appeared to be regularly spaced rods of some sort ran down the sides of the massive sheet and supported it.

"Jewel, come over here. This is where we go in..."

Blu was stationed about halfway down the eastern side of the cloth, waving his wing in the air gently.

"Coming, handsome..."

Once Jewel took her place beside Blu, she noticed a partition in the sheet that seemed to be leaking soft golden light. Blu moved the material aside and allowed Jewel to enter. They came upon a small space that harbored yet another sheet of material, as if an inner curtain was nested inside the outer curtain.

The soft chatter of voices could be heard from just a few feet ahead, but the dividing curtain concealed their origins.

Just ahead of them was yet another partition that leaked the same golden light as before, but this time, a very handsome Scarlet Macaw guarded the slit.

A small sheet of paper could be seen sticking out from under his folded left wing.

"May I have your names?"asked the male macaw while drawing out the slip of paper.

"Blu and Jewel..." replied Blu smoothly.

The macaw rang a wingtip down the slip for a few seconds, and once it reached the end, he lowered it and looked up at the pair of guests sullenly.

Blu's incredible anticipation was murdered as the Scarlet Macaw tucked the slip away and declared, "I don't see your names on the list. Did you make a reservation?"

Jewel suddenly turned towards Blu with a sallow expression, but he was too busy staring at the macaw angrily to notice.

_What! Rafael personally brought me here, and we talked to the manager face-to-face! There must be a mistake. Please let there be a mistake..._

"Well, no, but-"

"Then I can't allow you in. Reservations only..."

The macaw walked around behind them and held open the outer partition, but Blu exclaimed, "Wait! A friend of mine introduced me to the manager here about nine days ago. He assured us that we'd have a spot. This is our anniversary! You have to double-check!"

Blu's voice was unnaturally loud, but the macaw somehow stayed calm.

"Does this 'friend' have a name?"

"Rafael."

The macaw fixed Blu with a questioning gaze, as if contemplating the validity of his statement, before replying, "Wait here."

The macaw turned to the left and ambled down the walkway between the two less-than-solid walls, disappearing around the corner seconds later.

"Are you sure this is the right place?"

"Of course it is! Me and Rafael talked to Benito, the manager, nine days ago. Why aren't our names on the list? If he doesn't let us in, it's all over..."

Blu hung his head with despair, causing Jewel to wrap her wings around him reassuringly.

"It's probably just a miscommunication, Blu. Will you please calm down... for me?"

Blu was momentarily torn between his frustration over the atrocity and Jewel's honey-like voice, but he relented.

"For you, I'll do _anything_. But I just don't see how our names weren't written down..."

Blu's voice was placated, but the spark of agitation still burned in his soft brown eyes.

One tense minute later, the macaw appeared from around the corner and walked up to them.

"I am terribly sorry, Sir, Ma'am. Your reservation was accounted for, but I forgot to write it down. I apologize sincerely for my error."

"It's all right," countered Jewel softly. "No one is perfect. What is your name?"

"Emilio."

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Emilio." replied Jewel.

"Likewise, Ma'am. You two certainly make a fine couple. Now, I welcome you both to Benito's Golden Gallery, home of the finest dining and most enriching atmosphere of any restaurant in Rio..."

The macaw pulled aside the partition and revealed the secret that Blu had hidden from Jewel for so long. Blu found his wife's wing and pulled her slowly forward, passing by the smiling form of Emilio and stepping lightly into the main room.

A beige ceiling – supported by regularly-spaced steel rods painted a deep green – hovered over the entire area at a height of five feet.

Three burgundy walls framed the perimeter, adorned with delicate landscape paintings and what appeared to be real vines harvested from the jungle.

The floor was a rich cinnamon color, polished enough that the rows of deep golden lights embedded in the ceiling could be seen reflected in it.

Lastly, nearly two dozen fairly-large tables were arranged neatly throughout the room, and all but one of them were occupied by various pairs of feathered creatures.

This restaurant simply screamed opulence and affection, the likes of which neither Blu nor Jewel had ever seen before. An impressive smile formed on Blu's face, and as he turned to look at his wife, he noticed her eyes wide open in astonishment.

"It's... I... oh, I love it!" she muttered hotly. "I've never seen such a magnificent place..."

"And you deserve it completely, my love. This is my way of showing you how much you mean to me, and how much I love you."

Jewel turned her gaze to Blu and melted him with the most endearing expression she could muster.

"I... don't know what to say... except for the fact that I love you too. I'll bury these precious hours in my heart, and make sure they're never to be forgotten."

"And I will do the same..."

Moments later, a young-looking Military Macaw strode up them, two small black books tucked under his right wing.

"Would you like to be seated, Sir, Ma'am?"

"Yes, please," replied Jewel dreamily.

"Right this way..."

As the macaw led them to their table, their insides were bathed in a fireworks display of emotion. Blu was overcome with a sense of accomplishment and pride due to the fact that his mate seemed infinitely pleased by his choice of venue.

Jewel, on the other hand, was bathed in a sense of amazement and elation so deep that she could hardly think.

_Blu... did this all for me. He really does love me, and he'll never stop loving me. And despite all of his flaws and shortcomings, I'll never stop loving him, either. This night will go down as the most unforgettable night of our entire lives! Tonight, it's just me and him, two macaws spending quality time with each other and sharing their love. As long as we're together, everything will be just perfect..._


	2. Tipping Point

**Chapter 2:Tipping Point**

The Military Macaw led them to a table that seemed to lay in the exact center of all the others, as if Blu and Jewel were to be acknowledged silently as the guests of honor.

The couples at the other tables stared momentarily in their direction, some smiling warmly, and others – a few of the males – slightly jealous of Jewel's beauty. The former birds held their gazes before turning back to their respective mates, while the latter ones jerked their heads back to their female counterparts.

The macaw proceeded to pull out Jewel's chair first before doing the same with Blu's, and the enchanted couple sat directly across from one another. The macaw then pulled the tiny black books from under his wing and laid them down in front of his guests.

"My name is Seth, and I will be your waiter tonight."

The macaw's smooth lilt signaled that he was not a Brazilian-born creature, but American.

"What would you like to drink, ma'am?"

He pulled out a previously-hidden slip of paper and a stubby pencil from out from under his right wing.

"Do you have any... alcoholic drinks? Something not too heavy?"

The macaw straightened his pose and replied, "Why, yes we do. We have a variety of imported wines. Would you care for a Chardonnay or Pinot Noir? Our Zinfandel is quite fine as well."

"I'm not from the United States. I have no clue what those are, to be honest."

Jewel shrugged sheepishly, and Seth drew in a deep breath – not irritated by her statement, but rather preparing himself to answer it.

"Pinot Noir is a dark red wine savored for its bold flavor, while Zinfandel comes in red and blush colors and bears a variety of fruit-like tastes. Chardonnay is a white wine with nutty and sometimes tropical flavors."

Jewel stared down at her unopened menu, her face furrowed with concentration. After a short pause, she looked up at Seth and replied, "I'll have your Pinot Noir."

"Perfect. Would you like to try the Gevery-Chambertin variety, or the Nuits-Saint Georges?"

"I'll try... the first one."

"Very well, ma'am."

Seth used the too-short pencil to deftly write down Jewel's choice of drink.

Blu would normally object to having Jewel consume alcohol of any form, but tonight was their anniversary, and if she wanted to indulge herself, why should he stop her?

Plus, if Jewel was up for it, then he was also keen to taint his body with a dash of wine. Disappointing his mate by choosing a lowly drink such as water or soda was unthinkable to him.

Seth then planted his gaze on the male and asked, "And for you, sir?"

Blu flashed a quick glance at Jewel before answering, "I'll have the same as her. Thank you very much."

"You are welcome. Your drinks will be out shortly. I'll give you some time to order..."

With that, Seth weaved his way through the tables and slipped past a polished swinging door at the back of the room.

"I am still so amazed, Blu! I feel like the luckiest female bird on the planet. Now, more than ever, I need to tell you that I love you. Again."

Blu leaned slightly across the table and replied, "And I love you, my sweet little temptress. I will _always _do the best I can for you. I may not have a perfect personality, but I make up for that in other regards."

"Don't ever stop, Blu. Promise me that."

He lifted Jewel's right wing onto the table with his left, overlapping them in a double layer of tenderness.

"I promise."

After allowing the amorous moment to fade, the pair of macaws picked up their respective menus and began to browse through them casually. Not much interested either of them on the appetizer section; they both knew to save as much space as possible in their stomachs for the _real _food.

More than once, Jewel's eyes strayed to the dessert section, but she pulled them back once again to the main courses.

Blu found his eyes glued to the soup section and, being unable to pull away, finally decided on a dish composed of meat, beans, and spices. It was basically an energetic twist to the classic dish of feijoada, a meal that had quickly become his favorite ever since his union with Jewel had been established as permanent.

His choice now made, Blu folded the menu and scooted it to the edge of the table. He watched Jewel's head feathers rock side to side as her head slowly swiveled back and forth across her menu.

_I wish I could record that and watch it over and over again. It's so mesmerizing and cute..._

After a full minute of soaking in the besotting feather dance, he blinked several times and cleared his throat quietly.

"I've already decided what I want, honey. What about you?"

Jewel froze and peered at him past the top of her little black book.

"I don't know whether to go with the Salted Mango Medley or the Mango-and-Spice soup..."

She lowered the menu to the table and continued, "What do you think?"

_She sure must like mangoes! Well, to each his own. Or in this case, to each her own..._

"Pardon my rudeness, but I do not want to decide what sort of nourishment you put into your body for digestion. Choose whatever you feel you would like best."

Jewel sighed heavily and used her wings to fold the menu closed.

"I guess I'll have the salted mango dish. What did you decide on, handsome?"

Blu shifted in his seat and replied, "A spicy soup of meat and beans, modeled after feijoada."

"That sounds pretty delicious. After all, I _am _the one who got you hooked on that in the first place."

"Right you are, my love..."

Blu lost himself in the delicate glow of her aurora-green eyes, but a steadily approaching shape to the side of them made him lose his focus and be jarred back to reality.

Jewel detected his abrupt shift of expression and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. The wine's on its way."

Jewel affected a humorous gaze that lasted for a few moments, causing Blu to do the same.

Seth wheeled a bird-sized cart made of aluminum up beside the table, the metal polished enough to show a distorted reflection of the room around it. A dark red bottle lay half-buried in an ice bath, and next to the tub was a pair of shot glasses.

Seth sat the two decorated glasses down before Blu and Jewel before moving on to the important phase of the ritual. The light _plunk _of the small yet ornate wine bottle on the table, followed by Seth's steady voice, quickly garnered their attention.

"A choice bottle of Gevery-Chambertin Pinot Noir, just as you ordered. A most luxurious selection, if I do say so myself."

Seth used his aptly-shaped beak to remove the cork with a satisfying _pop –_ no doubt formed that way from removing countless corks over the length of his time as waiter. A rising column of bubbles threatened to spill down over the lip of the bottle, but Seth expertly filled the shot glasses just before that happened.

The deep red liquid rested gracefully in each of the tiny containers, topped by a thin froth. The enticing aroma of the chilled wine flowed out and saturated the air around Blu and Jewel, and they couldn't resist taking a deep sniff. The alcoholic bite of the wine was strong, but a rich, ancient smell lingered relaxingly in its wake.

"If it smells this luscious, I can't wait to taste it." said Jewel softly.

"You will very much enjoy it, ma'am. Have you decided on a meal?"

"Yes, Seth. I'll have the Salted Mango Medley."

He whipped out his order-taking supplies and scribbled down Jewel's order in elegant cursive. He then turned to Blu without taking his gaze from his sheet.

"And what will you be having tonight, sir?"

"I'll take the Fiery Feijoada Soup, Seth."

After jotting down the male's order, the macaw nodded sincerely and replied, "Very well then. We are running slightly behind tonight, so I apologize duly if your orders are delayed."

"Thanks again, Seth. You've been a fine waiter so far." said Blu warmly.

"And you two have been most kind guests."

After Seth had stowed his order sheet and pencil away, Blu and Jewel assisted Seth with hiding the menus beneath his strongly-patterned left wing. He bowed politely to the pair of Spix's Macaws before heading off towards the gleaming door once more.

Blu balanced himself carefully on his seat – which possessed a carved opening for his tail – and gripped the cold glass with his right talon.

Jewel imitated him, and once the two crystal vessels were a few inches above the table, Jewel declared, "A toast to the beginning of a long and enjoyable life with my brave mate, Blu, and maybe a few children along the way."

"A toast to a long and enjoyable life with my beautiful mate, Jewel, and maybe a few children along the way."

They brought the crystal containers together, creating a sharp _clink_, and then downed the tiny dose of wine they carried.

A rush of bold flavor drowned their tongues and pounded their throats, causing them to shake their heads and ruffle their feathers after setting the glasses down.

"That was some energetic wine! Seth wasn't lying to us one bit, that's for sure." exclaimed Blu.

"I don't see how we can leave this place without emptying that bottle. That way, Seth will know how much we enjoyed it."

"Agreed, my love," replied Blu before adding, "But we don't want to drink ourselves so deep that we lose the ability to fly safely..."

"That's a risk we'll just have to take, handsome. Let's release some of our inhibitions and just have fun together."

Jewel gazed at him tauntingly, her luscious irises made all the more attractive by the dose of wine.

"Your wish is my command." said Blu pointedly.

While the two macaws waited for their gourmet food to arrive, they passed the time by engaging in idle chat, accompanied by a rare sip from their shot glasses, which they refilled themselves.

Neither Blu nor Jewel had the means to gauge the time, but as they exhausted their third random discussion, they knew their food was long overdue.

Unsure about how to signal his waiter in a place filled festooned with pomp and luxury such as this, he merely searched visually until he found Seth, raising his lightning-blue wing in the air. In under ten seconds, the Military Macaw was once again rooted at their table-side.

"Do you need anything, sir?"

"Could you check on our food? It's been some time since we ordered, Seth."

"Of course. I apologize for the wait..."

After a quick bow, he journeyed back towards the kitchen end of the restaurant – with a certain haste evident in his step.

Blu frowned and laid his wings on the table in frustration.

"I'm sorry for the wait, Jewel. If I would have known..."

"Don't worry, Blu. I'm just fine. Can't you see we're not the only ones in here?"

Blu gazed around quickly before turning back to his mate, but his expression was still tight with negativity.

"Still, they _all _didn't get here at the same time we did! This wait is really unnerving..."

_He's so worried about this perfect night being destroyed. I guess I'm more forgiving than he is..._

While Blu was steaming on the other side of the table, Jewel kept her gaze locked on the silver door. A minute after he left, Seth stepped from the kitchen and ambled over to the pair of macaws.

"It should be out in another ten minutes or so. Here are your napkins. Once again, I apologize."

"It's alright, Seth. This place is so attractive and must pull in quite a a few couples. You seem filled to the max right now."

"You are a keen observer, ma'am. That is part of the reason why we are backed up."

"And what's the other?" grumbled Blu.

"The cook happened to burn himself with some hot soup."

"Thanks for the napkins, Seth. We'll call you again if we need you."

"Of course, ma'am..."

Seth backed away and headed for a Blue-winged Macaw couple that had their wings in the air.

"Burn himself with hot soup? Yeah right..."

"What was that, Blu? Did you say something?"

The male perked up somewhat, but turned away before replying, "Nothing. You probably heard someone else..."

Blu never looked back at Jewel, his eyes following Seth's every move.

Jewel sighed and relaxed back in her chair after drinking another swig of the Pinot Noir.

After another burning twelve minute wait, Seth reappeared with another gleaming cart, this time carrying two decent-sized bowls and the appropriate silverware: a miniature spoon and fork. Seth wrapped a cloth around his wings – so he could pick up the steaming bowls – and served the two macaws their long-awaited dinner.

"Salted Mango Medley for you," he said as he placed the bowl in front of Jewel, "and Fiery Feijoada Soup for you." he added after handing Blu his order.

He then gave Blu and Jewel a fork and spoon, placing them delicately on one side of the dish.

"Enjoy your meals..." he said politely before departing.

Once Seth was a fair distance away, Blu whispered, "It's about time!"

Jewel grabbed her fork and held it just above her food while saying, "Please calm down, Blu. For me?"

Blu relaxed visibly, his muscles unlocking and his body slumping slightly.

"I'm sorry, Jewel. It's just... I expected more from this place."

"Blu, I promise, I'm _fine_. Just don't let these things get to you. Like Seth said, let's enjoy the meal."

"Alright, Jewel," relented Blu before adding, "Now, how about we dig in?"

"Gladly..."

Jewel skewered a tiny slab of mango and popped it into her beak, reveling in the potent salty-sweet taste before diving in for another.

Blu buried the tines of his fork in a juice-coated chunk of meat, munching on it delightedly before following it up with a firm slice of carrot.

"Isn't this... food... delicious?" asked Jewel in between hearty chews.

Normally, she would have upheld more decent manners, but the Pinot Noir had cast a slight hex over her judgment.

"You got that right. I guess it's safe to say that the longer the wait, the better the end product."

"That's a good point, handsome..."

Blu and Jewel resumed their intake of the gourmet nourishment, but something went wrong.

As Blu swallowed his fourth bite, a hot sensation crawled from his stomach and all the way up his throat before resting on his tongue. The spices of the food had broken through the numbing effect of the wine and unleashed their fury upon his nerve endings.

"Are you okay, Blu? Did you see a ghost?"

Indeed, his eyes had widened and his muscles were visibly tensed up. Moments later, he could take no more.

"Damn, this is hot! I need some help, Jewel!"

His shout caused some of the nearby birds to stare, denouncing him wordlessly for shattering the silence that had been manifested for so long.

"It's not called Fiery Feijoada Soup for nothing, Blu. All we have is the wine!"

"I... don't care! Give me a glass..." wheezed Blu.

Jewel carefully restocked hers and pushed it across the table as far as she could reach. Blu's right wing jerked up to try and pull the glass closer, but something very solid was in the way. The fragile bones in his right wing cracked against the table, causing him to fold the pain-wracked appendage close to his body and hunch over.

Tears pooled in his hazel eyes, but Jewel could not tell if they were from the heat of the spices or the impact he had just suffered.

"Please... help..." he moaned.

"I'm coming, just hold on."

Jewel slid her chair back and rounded the table, coming to a stop on Blu's right side.

"Are you okay? Is it broken?"

"Do I... look okay?"

His tone was sharper than intended, but Jewel dismissed it due to the fact that he was in obvious agony.

"No. I don't... think it's broken."

"Here, let me put some of my healing magic on it."

She gingerly pulled his wing out and extended it halfway, planting a row of kisses across the bone.

"There. Now doesn't that feel better?"

Blu nodded halfheartedly in response.

"Let me deal with those tears, too."

Jewel brought her left wing up and brushed away the moisture around Blu's eyes. A faint smile appeared on his beak, and she took that as a cue that he was feeling better than before, if only slightly. She appeased him with a pat on the head before returning to her chair, still eager to finish her meal.

When she saw that her mate was still trembling, she asked, "Are you still going to eat?"

"I can't handle the heat, Jewel. I don't have the spice-combating genes in my DNA. Can... we switch?"

"No problem, Blu. I understand."

Jewel eased her comparatively tame bowl of mango confection over to him with her wing, while he did the same with his left – for the right was still pulsing with pain.

"Now you can fill your stomach in peace."

"Thank you, honey..."

"You're welcome."

Jewel waited for her mate to take a bite from his new dish before doing the same with hers. Blu's expression softened instantly as the salted fruit caressed his tongue, chasing way the capsaicin-laced residue that had previously scorched his tongue.

Jewel registered the venom of the feijoada and experienced what Blu had previously endured, but the sting was rather exhilarating.

The macaws now munched away in famished eagerness until both bowls had been drained of their contents.

Jewel tossed back a dash of wine and said, "So, how was the food? Did it get rid of the burn of the feijoada?"

"It was really good! All of the spicy remnants are gone. Thanks for helping me out."

Jewel smiled and replied, "No problem, handsome."

Blu then treated himself to another glass of wine and asked, "I think we should have dessert. If the fine food and drink is anything to go by, the dessert must be absolutely heavenly."

"Sounds like a pretty good prediction to me. Still, why don't we let our food settle first before piling sugar on top of it?"

"Sure, gorgeous..."

Blu and Jewel dissolved the recent tension with a drawn-out and amorous chat, keeping the topics more relevant to their future.

The topic of children came up, but both macaws decided that now was not the time to bear the responsibility that they would bring. They conceded to try for children a few months in the future, when their hormones would no doubt amplify the experience and render it more than pleasurable

The macaws laid off the wine while conversing, for half of the bottle had been emptied so far, and the haze dulling their minds was very much detectable. Their faces were locked in dreamy expressions, their voices slightly slurred, and their movements lacking complete control.

They spent a good thirty minutes flirting and chatting, and as if to close said chat off, filled their glasses and prepared to drink one more shot of wine each.

Jewel paused and waited for Blu to empty his glass before moving hers towards her beak.

However, a combination of Jewel's body movement and a distracted waiter would give her quite a surprise.

As Jewel leaned back, her tail lowered to the floor, the feathers sprawled out somewhat. The approaching waiter, bored with the monotony of her delivery routine, closed her eyes and wheeled the food-topped cart along between the hidden paths between the tables.

Had her eyes been open, she would have maneuvered the cart _around _Jewel's tail, but since they weren't, the cart's left wheels rolled _over it_ a full two inches from its end. The feathers were pulled tight by the weight of the cart, causing a small burst of pain to run up Jewel's spine and her body to be pulled backwards.

"Ouch! Hey, my tail is a part of _me_, you know!"

The waiter froze at the sound of the outburst and abandoned her cart, walking steadily towards the source.

Jewel had lost her grip on the wine glass, and as she searched for it on the floor, Blu gasped in utter shock.

Jewel jerked her head back up and asked, "What? It wasn't my fault."

With owl-like eyes, Blu pointed at her with his good wing and said, "Your chest. The wine spilled onto... your chest!"

Jewel craned her head down to verify, and sure enough, a large portion of her once-aquamarine feathers were now stained violet. Just then, the at-fault waiter came up beside Jewel and surveyed the situation.

"Way to go, idiot!" gritted Blu. "Look what you did to my mate's feathers! Can't you watch where you're going?"

The female Blue-and-Gold macaw proceeded to snatch a napkin from her cart and blot it firmly against Jewel's chest, in the hopes of absorbing the wine from her now-sodden elements of beauty.

"I am incredibly sorry, ma'am. It's been a very long day. I know that's not an excuse, but please forgive me..."

Jewel kept her gaze locked on her mate while being rocked back and forth by the macaw's cleaning attempts.

The soup incident was nothing compared to this.

Blu looked ready to detonate like a living bomb, his eyelids slanted over his eyes fiercely and his muscles constricted. As far as Jewel could tell, his attempt at a perfect night had just been negated.

Still, she wasn't any better off. She was positively fuming on the inside.

_Now this infuriates me! I thought all the waiters were as skilled and careful as Seth. It seems this one has some homework to do!_

After one minute of cleaning, Jewel scooted the waiter away with her wing and caught sight of the napkin. Only a few spots had dampened the sheet, meaning that hardly any of the wine had come out of her feathers.

"Oh dear! It seems I have stained your chest, ma'am. Is there any way I can make it up to you? Dessert on the house? A voucher for a free meal next time you visit?"

"Our entire stay has already been paid for!" retorted Jewel. "The best thing you can do for us is to _go... away..._"

The female backed away at the sound of Jewel's cutting voice and replied, "Of course, ma'am. I am terribly sorry. I will not bother you any more..."

Jewel fished around under the table and located the wine glass, grabbing it with her right foot and then slamming it down loudly on the table.

A few of the nearby couples were murmuring about the waiter's folly and the complete necessity of Blu and Jewel's reactions. Others were whispering that they would have fled the place if the same had happened to them.

Those snippets of conversation were pressing heavily on Jewel's mind at the moment.

She placed her wings upon the silk-covered surface before her and asked, "Do you want to leave? What she did was so rude I can't even begin to describe it."

Blu was deeply distraught by the distorted violet stain upon his mate, but even if the perfect night had just been spoiled, he still wanted to give Jewel a fantastic one. Still, convincing her to stay wasn't going to be easy.

"I would gladly leave with you, it's just that... maybe we can still salvage the night and enjoy the hours we have left. I know you're pissed, and so am I, but we can have our dessert and then leave. A little sugar to sweeten the sourness of our evening..."

Jewel huffed and replied, "Fine. But after dessert, we are _out of here. _Do you hear me?"

Blu nodded strongly in return.

"Perfectly, my love. I'll do my best to control my emotions, so please try to do the same. But before we leave, I'll make sure that Benito knows what went down. You can come with me as evidence."

Jewel shifted with angry delight at Blu's proposition.

"You bet I will..."

While Blu and Jewel spent the next fifteen or so minutes letting off the metaphorical steam, the former was inwardly displeased to the point of tears.

_No! I lost it. We lost it. Damn that incompetent waiter. Our anniversary will never be perfect! I'm sorry, Jewel. I can't help but think I failed you in some way..._

Blu's volcanic anger morphed into an ocean of loss, which was reflected in his voice as he echoed his thoughts: "Our anniversary will never be perfect! I'm sorry, Jewel. I can't help but think I failed you in some way..."

Jewel felt her own anger fade at the sound of his melancholy tone, knowing that the prior events were in no way his fault.

"I know it pains you to realize that not everything went smoothly, but don't blame yourself. Sometimes, things are beyond our control, Blu. Can you cheer up, even if only by a small amount?"

Jewel extended her left wing and managed to stretch it far enough to touch her husband's face.

"I'll do my best, Jewel. I just... we were doing so well..."

"I know, but all we can do now is move on. We still have a few golden hours to spend together, so why waste them moping?"

Blu sighed heavily and rubbed his face against the fan of sky-blue feathers.

"How about we get Seth's attention and order our dessert?"

"I'll take care of that. I hope Seth doesn't slip up and direct another disaster in our direction..."

Jewel sat back in her chair while Blu raised his injured wing, testing the soreness of the bones in the process. He winced in pain as he did so, but it was bearable.

Nonetheless, his tight expression merited a reaction from his wife.

"Does it still hurt?" asked Jewel softly.

"Only slightly. It's nothing."

Jewel raised her brow, unconvinced, but unwilling to argue his answer.

With his flying appendage still raised, Blu looked around at the seemingly perfect restaurant.

_What could be next? _He remarked mentally. _An airborne plate of food from an overturned cart that just happens to fly in our direction? An explosion in the kitchen that caves the roof in? Nico and Pedro?_

As outlandish and improbable as these occurrences seemed, he would put nothing past the hand of Fate, which had already once intervened.

"So," said Jewel, breaking the uneasy silence, "do you have anything planned for us after this lovely dinner?"

"It's a surprise, my love."

Jewel pressed him further.

"What kind of surprise?" she asked playfully.

"You'll just have to wait and see, honey."

Jewel smiled, even though she knew she was going nowhere with her staunch mate.

A minute later, Blu's wing began to fatigue, but he still forced himself to hold it up.

"Where is that darn waiter?" he complained.

"Blu?" said Jewel, deeply concerned.

Finally giving in, he quickly refolded his wing – squinting against the spurt of pain that followed – and turned to his wife.

"Is something wrong?" he quickly asked.

"No, but I think you should loosen up a bit. You've been upset and depressed for at least a good ten minutes."

"I'm sorry, it's just that I wanted this evening to be perfect..."

"I know, and you're doing you all you can, but beating yourself up isn't going to help."

"I better try to be a part of the solution and not the problem, then."

Blu struggled to raise his wing again, for he had spied Seth's ocher form over in the right rear corner. He tried to turn away, but Jewel's stern tone stopped him short.

"Blu."

"It's just-"

She cut him off: "Blu."

"But I-"

She cut him off again: "Blu! Just relax. Take a deep breath in..."

Blu reluctantly obeyed, his chest puffing out and splaying out his feathers attractively.

"Now let it out..."

Blu released the air in his lungs, feeling slightly better.

"How did that feel? Did it help ease your mood?"

"Better than I thought it would. And yes, my mood has been eased."

Jewel leaned over the table, getting close enough to allow her rich breath to flood over his face.

"I hope so, because I don't want you to be a killjoy when the time comes for you to show me my 'surprise.' " she said seductively.

Blu sucked in her tempting breath and replied, "Oh, I have a feeling that you already know what it is."

After their short eternity of waiting, Seth finally showed up beside them.

"Sorry sir, ma'am, some of our guests' orders were mixed up. How may I assist you... oh my, what happened to your feathers?"

Seth's normally calm persona shattered to true panic as he took in Jewel's appearance.

"A Blue-and-Gold Macaw decided to run over my tail with her cart. It's pretty obvious where my glass of wine ended up..." replied Jewel edgily.

"I sincerely apologize on her behalf. It seems that your evening together hasn't exactly gone as planned..."

"There's nothing we can do about it now, Seth," replied Blu before adding, "We'd like to order dessert. What do you have here?"

Seth reinstated his former meditative aura and said, "I suppose you are right. Feel free to take up the incident with Benito before you leave."

"We already planned on doing that, Seth." said Jewel flatly.

"Very well then. We have Chocolate Lace Cheesecake, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Brownie Delight, and many others. Would you like me to bring a menu?"

Blu affected a serious gaze and said, "No, that's fine. I'll have the cheesecake."

The Military Macaw whipped out his secretive paper slip and pencil and copied Blu's reply.

"And you, ma'am?"

"I'll have the same."

"Perfect. The wait for the desserts should not be long. Would you like me to remove your bowls and utensils?"

"Go right ahead, Seth." conceded Jewel merrily.

As soon as he had vanished – with the bowls and silverware stacked precariously between his wings – Blu turned to his wife and asked, "Have you ever tried cheesecake?"

"Oh come on, Blu," teased Jewel, "It's an American thing, so no. Is it something I'll like? Or even love?"

Blu smiled murkily and replied, "More than mangoes, my temptress. It's so rich, creamy, and sweet that it's hard to stop eating."

"I'll hold you to that, handsome."

Blu found himself trapped in Jewel's wondrous gaze once more, and she was enthralled just the same. They both leaned across the table and attempted to kiss, but the sound of talons clicking on the floor nearby caused them to draw back suddenly.

"Hey, Seth. Uh, back so soon?" said Blu sheepishly.

"I have some bad news." said the macaw sadly.

"Not again," grumbled Blu. "What is it now?"

The waiter frowned and replied sullenly, "It seems that we are all out of Chocolate Lace Cheesecake. We do have plenty of the others."

As soon as the words registered in his head, Blu snapped internally and twitched externally. The hand of Fate had just hammered the final spike into the coffin of his and Jewel's anniversary.

"I've lost my appetite..." muttered Blu.

"I'll have the Vanilla Bean Ice Cream." said Jewel.

Seth jotted down her order and bowed before retreating.

Blu rested his head on the table and hid it beneath his electric-blue wings, sobbing so quietly that even Jewel could not hear.

_It's over. It's all over! Something else has just gone wrong, something I can't even control! I can't stay here and constantly be reminded of all of the past troubles. I bet Jewel is so upset right now..._

Blu was unable to mask the instinctive reaction of his body to the despair he felt, and Jewel picked up on his quivering form immediately.

"Blu? Is everything alright? Why are you shaking like that?"

Without answering his mate's innocent question, he slid his chair back and walked towards the gap in the curtains, vanishing from the restaurant and Jewel's line of sight as well.

_Oh no! He's so sad that everything is screwing up! I feel so bad for him. He's trying so hard, but nothing is going the way he planned for it to. I have no choice but to go and comfort him..._

Jewel did feel out of place for leaving without explaining to Seth, but Blu's needs came far above anything or anyone at this moment. Jewel dismounted from her chair and made for the opening, her mind distressed and her heart heavy.

She heard a couple to her right snickering at the male's plight, and as she drew closer to the pair of Lear's Macaws, she heard them label him a "loser" and a "crybaby."

They would soon regret setting Jewel off with their rude and unsympathetic jeers.

She marched right up to their table and warned, "I would advise you to shut your beaks, before I shut them for you. At least he's not afraid of showing his feelings. Both of you look like stone-hearted, stuck-up brats..."

Jewel ignored the cutting remarks from the female and continued on her way.

She breezed past the slits in both curtains, ending up in the cool, salty air that shrouded the rooftop.

She looked to her left, down the desolate gravel stretch, but Blu was nowhere in sight.

She then looked to her right, and as the sounds of steady sobbing flowed into her ears, she saw him.

He was reclining against the lip of the roof, his body facing in Jewel's direction, his feet and tail resting limply on the stony ground. His wings were over his eyes, yet his body still quaked with the effort of his cries.

Jewel steadily walked over to him until she came upon his left side. She tenderly brushed her wing against his in an attempt to lower it, but she felt him resist her maneuver fervently.

"I know you're sad, Blu, but the world isn't going to end. I'm just as happy as I was when we first came here. Please stop crying and talk to me."

Blu lowered his wings enough to allow the sound to escape, but still keeping his face well-hidden.

"You'll... never understand..." he whimpered disparagingly. "The feeling of letting you down... makes it hard to breathe..."

"Blu, I'm all right. I promise! Are you coming back inside? I can share my ice cream with you. Please?"

"I hope you'll forgive me, Jewel. I... can't stay here and watch our time of joy... be defiled any further..."

With that, Blu sprang into flight and streaked away from the restaurant nearly too fast for Jewel's eyes to follow.

The last thing she saw of him was the glittering of his tears as they fell silently though the air...


	3. Gravity Of Love

**Chapter 3:Gravity Of Love**

Blu had vanished in mere seconds, and if Jewel wanted to find him and console him, she had no time to waste.

Just as she spread her wings for liftoff, she felt a stern tap on her shoulder.

"Is there something wrong, ma'am?"

She whirled around to find Emilio rooted behind her, an expectant light in his eyes.

_He'll have to tell Benito what went wrong tonight, _she thought. _Blu's probably long gone by now. I have one hell of a search ahead of me._

As expected, Jewel watched his expression crack the moment he saw the horrid stain on her chest.

"Oh my! Is that wine on your chest? I am truly-"

"Never mind that. Can you send a message to Benito for me?" she said, irritated.

Emilio shrugged and replied, "Of course. What should I tell him?"

Jewel inched closer, sticking her face deep into his personal space zone.

"Tell him," she said grudgingly, "that some of his employees have severely upset me and my mate. What happened in there was ridiculous. Tell him he let two hopeful lovers down."

She sprang into flight, buffeting the Scarlet Macaw with tiny roils of air as she powered away. Once she had cleared the building and found herself fully immersed in the cool-yet-sweet night air, she set her mind racing.

_Where could he have gone? I'll bet he doesn't want to interact with anything or anyone right now. Home? Wouldn't hurt to try there first._

Her mind made up, she swiveled her head in a wide arc.

She spied the murky expanse of the jungle a fair distance off to her left, and wasting no time, banked sharply, streaking through the air at a rapid pace.

The soft folds of the late-night air did little to cool the magma chamber of emotions inside her.

She felt rage for the plight he had endured at the lavish restaurant; no brave being was entitled to such humiliation and discord. She also felt anguish for Blu; the drive to revive his dashed spirit a powerful force that guided her search.

_I have to convince that him that, in spite of all of this, it's the thought that counts. He tried his hardest to please me, and he did a wonderful job. I'm fairly confident that a few deep kisses and lovely touches will help him see sense..._

With the jungle drawing ever-closer and her mind bolstered by her reassuring thoughts, she flapped her wings with iron resolve, sincerely praying that her beloved was tucked away in their comfy hollow.

The foliage whizzed by as she lanced through the rainforest, expertly dodging any stray vines or looming trees that lay in her path.

Upon finding the peaceful clearing that housed their home, she slowed her flight speed and landed in the hollow, her heart thudding from the effort.

A frown grew upon her face as she realized that she was the only soul present.

"He's not here. Fantastic."

Without giving her pulse a chance to recuperate, she retreated from the hollow, gliding away from the cannonball tree at a more moderate pace.

_That's one option wasted. What's next? Maybe... Christ the Redeemer?_ _It's nestled at the summit of a small mountain. If he wanted to find a secluded spot, what better place to go than there? I may love you, Blu, but sometimes you tire me out..._

Knowing that a long flight lay ahead of her, she drew in a string of deep breaths and steeled her will.

It took her a few minutes to break free from the confines of the rainforest, but once she did, she set her sights on the mountain crowned by that iconic statue. Out on the horizon, a heavy black mass rose up into the sky, round as an egg.

The illumination from the cable cars that ran from its base to its summit were nonexistent, but may times in her youth had Jewel visited the statue that topped the mountain of Corcovado. It was a desolate spot where she could reflect, and during the more hectic days of her life, unwind.

It was a locale forever ingrained in her mind, and given her current situation, a handy destination to have tucked away in the recesses of her brain.

Once again, she prayed dearly that she would find Blu perched somewhere on that statue, giving both of them the chance to wash away the chains of depression present on their souls.

As she drifted closer, the still outline of the statue faded into view, a more solid blackness situated against the velvety hue of the night sky. Her pupils were still contracted against the light pollution from the city below, but as she skirted her way up the side of the oversized hill, they gradually widened to soak up the faint levels of light.

She scanned the arms and head of the figure for the telltale flash of her mate's comet-blue feathers, but she saw not a trace of them. Her heart began to sink the closer and closer she approached, and upon landing on the thick right elbow of the figure, called out for her distraught mate.

"Blu? Blu? I'm here to comfort you. Please answer me!"

Her voice quickly dissipated, as if punishing itself for disturbing the eerie stillness that had manifested prior to her arrival. She received not a hint of a reply, pushing her heart that much lower into her private pool of despair.

She clambered her way towards the main body of the monolith, settling down on its shoulder.

_And there goes option number two! What if I never find him? I just can't leave him out there alone. He might try to... no don't think like that. What other places are deserted at this time of night? The stadium? The Sambadrome? The beaches?_

_ A_ jolt of energy and revelation coursed throughout her azure form at the creation of her third guess.

_He might be hanging out on one of the docks down on the beach. Which one, though? There's so many separate beaches, and just as many docks scattered along those beaches. The docks are placed near the less people friendly edges of the beaches, but that doesn't make it any easier. I'll try Ipanema first..._

The golden stretches of sand were barely visible from where Jewel sat, but they were visible nonetheless. She pinpointed the crescent of sand belonging to Ipanema Beach and departed from the statue with a few strong wing-flaps.

_Well, let's hope I get lucky. I can't keep searching for him like this. I'll eventually have to give up..._

Her pace in the direction of the beach was languid, for the trials of the past thirty minutes – both emotional and physical – had weakened her. She would often allow herself to fall a few feet under the influence of gravity before flapping her wings, savoring every moment of rest she could harvest from that maneuver.

Within fifteen minutes, she was close enough to pick up tiny details of the golden grains below. She initiated her scouring flight at the western end of Ipanema Beach, gliding just a few feet above the countless billions of grains of silicon dioxide.

Jewel followed the blurred border between the gently rolling tide and the soaked sand below, keeping her eyes peeled for the docks that lay scattered on this end of the beach.

Two minutes in, she came across one. She veered off to the left and followed it until it terminated a fair distance from the shoreline. She lowered herself onto the spray-weathered planks and sighed mournfully.

_This dock is empty. What are the odds? Oh Blu, I hope you're alright. I'll find you eventually..._

She retraced her flight path and stationed herself above the water/earth border, hoping that maybe, just maybe, the next dock she came across would be the one Blu was resting on.

Dock after dock passed by, and once she had scanned the fourth, the distance between each successive walkway had grown quite large.

She was nearing the more frequented areas of the beach, and so they tapered off in number.

She threw a glance at the fifth dock and was about to turn around, but an out-of-place smudge of color caught her attention.

_Have I found him? That can't be a seagull at the end. Only after a closer inspection will I find out the truth._

She put on a burst of speed and most of the length of the dock in a few short seconds. The smudge eventually revealed itself to have a glorious tail, two splayed wings, and a stretched out neck.

_Oh, thank goodness! He doesn't look hurt. He just looks... incredibly depressed. Oh, I don't want to just fly up to him and possibly scare him! Now's the time to take things slowly. Very slowly..._

She flared her wings and alighted inaudibly on the rotted wood a good ten feet behind him. As she inched closer, she realized that his odd posture clearly expressed the depth of the negativity that he was feeling.

He was reclined belly-down on the frail wood, his wings stretched out on either side of him, his head sitting deathly still. Jewel began to wonder if he actually was injured, but his eyes blinked sullenly every few seconds, his gaze focused on some distant, imaginary object.

He eventually sensed her careful approach, but did not react openly.

She came up on his left side and, knowing that uplifting his mood was going to be difficult, perched herself next to the primaries of his left wing.

A faint residue of the tears he had undoubtedly spouted was evident, but as of now, his eyes were free of active fluid flow.

She rested her right wing across his back and leaned in close to him.

"It took me forever to find you, but here I am. You need me now more than ever, Blu, and I want to help you. I can't stand to see you like this. It's killing me inside..."

* * *

><p>Blu trudged his way between the tables, his destination being the outside of the restaurant that had ruined him.<p>

A few of the guests gave him mocking stares, while the more-sympathetic avian species sensed his plight and looked upon him with great sadness.

He ruefully brushed aside the smothering curtains – Emilio was not at his post at the moment – and stepped into the still night air. Without so much as a thought, he turned to the right, heading straight for the border that marked the edge of the roof.

He plunked himself down against the wall, his back rubbing the smooth stone softly, his legs and tail thrown out before him like a limp doll's pose.

Unlike a doll, however, Blu could feel emotions, and those very emotions were shredding his insides.

He covered his face with his wings, unwilling to stifle the mini-cascades of tears dripping from his eyes.

_It's all over. The disaster I worked so hard to prevent still happened. I failed her. I so completely failed her! Tonight will go down as one of the most heart-wrenching nights in my entire life. If only I hadn't brought her here. If only we had sat at a different table. If only..._

He sat there in disparaging turmoil, the string of plagues that had recently occurred looping over and over again in his mind like a disgusting silver-screen movie. The only thing he could do was cry in response, but it did nothing to wash away the seething sadness inside him.

His breaths grew ragged and deep from the effort he instilled in crying. All he could see was the fine structure of the feathers right in front of his face, and nothing else.

After a certain stretch of time – he was too muddled to register exactly how long – he felt a weight pulling down on his left wing.

Without even looking, he knew it was his mate.

Nonetheless, he would not reveal his face to her. There was no need, for the auditory and visual signals streaming from his body were evidence enough as to how terrorized he was.

He resisted her efforts mightily, and the tender hold on his wing vanished.

"I know you're sad, Blu, but the world isn't going to end. I'm just as happy as I was when we first came here. Please stop crying and talk to me."

Her honey-like voice forced its way into his mind, compelling him to respond.

Sucking in a heavy breath, he replied, "You'll... never understand..."

It was difficult for him to speak through his free-flowing tears, and the sound came out like a whimper. Still, he continued.

"The feeling of letting you down... makes it hard to breathe..."

"Blu, I'm all right. I promise! Are you coming back inside? I can share my ice cream with you. Please?"

_I... can't go back in there. I won't go back in there. Something else will_ _just end up happening to one of us, and I won't be able to endure that. I... just want to be alone. Utterly alone._

Steeling himself for the final time, he replied, "I hope you'll forgive me, Jewel. I... can't stay here and watch our time of joy... be defiled any further..."

He bunched his wing muscles and set them off, lifting himself into the gloom with very few wing strokes. He pushed himself to go faster and faster, and before long, he had put a large distance between himself and the restaurant.

_I have to find some place, any place, away from the prying eyes of others. Where that is, I don't know. I'll let my wings decide where to take me. I'm lost in my own body..._

Feeling more lost than ever, he closed off his mind like some broken-down robot, surrendering himself to the whims of the pair of heartily-pumping flying appendages that grew out of him.

Several times, he veered in the direction of the rainforest, only to turn back and orient his flight path towards the bay. He slogged his way through sky in this twisted manner for well over ten minutes, until his wings forced him to fly for the stretch of sand known as Ipanema Beach.

He descended through the layers of air at a shallow angle, heading straight for the far western end of the beach, an area seldom used by people. A scant number of wooden bridges reached out into the bay from his vantage point, the last one just visible to the east.

One particular dock – which he judged to be somewhat longer to the rest – steadily increased in size as he glided directly for it.

The lapping sound of the gentle waves soon hummed in his ears, for his crying had been stilled sometime during his flight.

He flapped his way out to the distant edge of the wooden path, throwing himself roughly onto the surface. The grimy, gritty texture of the wood beneath Blu's chest signified the dock had been in place for a long duration of time.

He slowed himself to a stop two feet from the terminus, the sound of the waves sloshing around the supports below a constant din in his head.

He fixed his gaze out towards the far horizon, upon what looked like a distant ship.

The wood was cold to his feet and chest, but he did not care.

He extended his wings to their maximum, laying them out on either side of him, as if the starlight would flow into them and warm his body. He sighed miserably and wondered how long it would take Jewel to find him.

_I didn't mean to leave her so suddenly. I hope she doesn't grow as angry with me as she did with that waitress. Only she harbors the power to comfort me, but even I don't think that will work..._

Blu drew in a smooth breath and sighed once more, and before blanking out his mind, thought, _It's going to be a long, long night..._

Lulled into a sort of half-trance by the symphony of the waves and the vile sickness of his spirit, Blu remained splayed out upon the decayed planks.

Still oblivious to the creeping of time, he kept his gaze trained on that faraway "ship." No matter how long he watched it, or how may times he blinked, it did not change position. He thought it to be a hallucination – and given his current state – it was a perfectly reasonable assumption.

Deep into his watch, the "ship" suddenly blanked out, as if it had fallen off the edge of the Earth.

A delicate rhythm thrummed in his chest, and he could only equate it to the footfalls of an approaching visitor. He was too exhausted and weary to turn his head and see who it was, but eventually, the visitor entered into the line of sight on his left side.

It was Jewel.

He felt his heart give a small flutter, only to resume its downtrodden pace. The gentle pressure of her wing upon his back warmed him, if only slightly.

"It took me forever to find you, but here I am. You need me now more than ever, Blu, and I want to help you. I can't stand to see you like this. It's killing me inside..."

"Well, you're better off than I am. I'm _dead _inside."

He noticed her beak was very close to his, and if he moved his head a few inches closer, he could kiss it. As much as he wanted to, the will was no longer with him.

"Blu, I want you to realize that tonight was more magical and pleasing than any other night in my entire sixteen years of life."

Blu shrugged weakly and replied, "It's the polar opposite for me. I've never felt so lost and angry. I tried my best to make everything right, but in reality, I just screwed everything up. There are so many 'if only' statements I could conjure up right now..."

Blu watched as Jewel planted herself firmly in front of him, giving him a glorious view of her entire body. He craned his head up to observe her expression, and it was one that conveyed deep sentiment and slight frustration.

"Blu, listen to me, please. Forget all about what happened back there, because it's the thought that counts. You have proved to me how much you love me, and I will always share that love with you. The damage has been done, so all I ask is that you start healing it, instead of trying to avoid it. Please?"

Something shattered inside Blu as her heavenly words soaked into him.

The frost around his heart was splintered, freeing it and allowing it to slowly increase its pace. Gifted with a slow rush of longing enthusiasm, he found the energy to stand back on his own two feet.

Before he could even react, he felt a marvelous sensation manifest over his entire body.

Jewel was hugging him with succulent firmness, her body contacting his in a number of divine places. Never before had she stimulated him this way; he felt as though he would melt into a puddle of living, love-struck, feather-coated slag.

Without hesitation, he lifted his wings and returned the embrace, savoring the feel of her silken coat upon his.

Neither bird was inclined to sever the contact, and so after a minute of hugging, Jewel drew her head back, keeping her wings trained upon him.

Blu found himself lost in her impeccably-brilliant eyes, thanking the stars silently that Jewel belonged to him, and that he belonged to her.

Even though it was moments like these that urged him to believe he didn't deserve her at all, he pushed the denial away. They were united with each other, inseparable, and Blu was determined to reaffirm that notion in the most direct way imaginable.

With a deep longing screaming out its desires in his head, he leaned forward and merged his beak with hers.

The instant they met, his tongue shot out and danced with its counterpart for a few seconds, sometimes drawing back in a teasing manner, leaving her hungry for more. He pushed himself further and further into the glory of their kiss, craving more and more of her strawberry essence with each second.

His insatiable drive left him leaning too far over to maintain balance, and so both birds toppled backwards under the pull of gravity. The soft planks below cushioned the blow, but it was enough to jar the love-drunk birds out of their osculation.

Blu was resting on top of Jewel, their bodies mirrored in perfect symmetry as if a reflective plane lay between them.

Blu smiled down at her and said, "Is it possible for me to love you as much as I do right now?"

Jewel affected the same expression and replied, "It seems that way, handsome. The gravity of love sure is strong, isn't it?"

"I agree, my beloved Jewel. Even stronger than the pull of a black hole."

Blu peeled himself off of his mate and helped her to her feet, hesitant to release the hold he had on her.

"Now I truly understand all that you told me. I am completely healed on the inside. I feel so alive. So youthful..."

"And all it took was a simple kiss." she replied with a chuckle.

"Oh, it was so much more than that. So much more..." he said, closing his eyes in residual wonder for a few moments.

"Well, _someone _hasn't given me their surprise yet? I wonder who that could be?"

Blu shuddered with delight as Jewel's words rang in his head.

"That's me, isn't it?"

"It sure is, handsome. If that kiss was anything to go by, you'd be better off giving me your 'surprise' in the privacy of our hollow. What do you say?"

She tilted her head expectantly, a flash of starlight glinting upon the surfaces of her eyes.

"Of course, my love. We should hurry, because I'm finding it hard to control myself right now. I don't want to give you what you deserve too soon."

Jewel pulled away slightly and bowed, saying, "Lead the way, handsome."

Blu obeyed dreamily and flew away from his mate at a reserved pace. She quickly caught up to him and, with their overjoyed hearts fluttering together, took off towards their final destination: home.

* * *

><p>They blazed from their starting point to the Blu Bird Sanctuary in under twenty minutes, feeling quite disheveled and overheated by the time they came to an abrupt stop in their elevated residence.<p>

They took a well-needed break to still their metabolisms and calm their thumping pulses.

"I haven't flown that fast... in ages. Maybe it's because... I'm getting old!" panted Blu.

"Yeah right. You've still got plenty of life left in you, which we will both realize once we cool ourselves off."

"I hope so, my beloved."

Their overworked bodies quickly spiraled down to their resting states in preparation for what was to come.

Eventually, Blu felt ready to present Jewel with her surprise, but there was one tiny matter he had to resolve first.

He looked at Jewel – who was busy preening herself towards the rear of the hollow – and said, "Before I give you the secret surprise, I must go away for a few minutes. I promise I won't be long."

Her head jerked up in response, for she feared that he was going to fly away and hide once more.

"I'll hold you to that promise, Blu. You better not break it, or you'll get nothing from me tonight."

"Don't worry, my enchantress. We've already been through enough hurt tonight. I won't add to it..."

He turned and fled the hollow, giving Jewel more time to prepare.

She continued preening with vigor, working her beak into each and every one of the feathers she could reach. Her tail was less-than-perfect, but he wouldn't mind.

Moments after putting the final touches on her right wing, she was startled by Blu's voice, which erupted from just outside the exit hole.

"Close your eyes, honey. I brought you something splendid!"

Her mind buzzing with anticipation, she did so, temporarily plunging her world into blackness.

"There. I can't see anything. Come on in!"

"Are you sure? I won't be happy if I catch you peeking!"

"Yes, I am sure." she said reassuringly.

"I'll be right in..."

She tensed up her muscles as she heard Blu's talons scraping across the floor, ever curious as to what Blu had brought. She felt him move around behind her, accidentally stepping on her tail.

"Did I hurt you? I'm sorry."

"Not at all. Please continue."

Her head feathers were then ruffled, as if something was being weaved into them.

_Is he... is that an orchid? Oh, it has to be!_

"Okay, Jewel. Open your eyes!"

She threw them open and looked up as far as she could. The delicate pink bloom of an orchid was just visible, a few of the petals curled over the crown of her head.

"Is that an orchid I see? Oh Blu, you shouldn't have!" she exclaimed.

"Of course I should! It makes you even more beautiful, if such a thing is possible." he replied, still behind her.

He pulled her backwards with his wings, forcing her back against his chest. He brought his head forward, kissing her on the side of the neck.

"Oh! That tickles, Blu. Please stop!" she said while giggling.

"I don't think that's going to happen, gorgeous. It's part of the surprise."

She craned her head around and looked him full on in the face.

"Is that so? Please show me the rest. I'm dying to _feel_ it." she said tauntingly.

"As you wish..."

He resumed his stimulation of her neck, often rasping the feathers with his tongue. Jewel shuddered repeatedly in his grasp, unable to hold back the bursts of electricity he created.

After fifteen high-voltage repetitions – at which point he deemed her thoroughly satisfied – he ceased his ritual and asked, "How was that?"

She broke free of his embrace with her wings, then turned around to face him.

"Just... wonderful, Blu." she muttered dreamily.

"But, how about I take over now? I can't let you have _all _the fun." she added seriously.

"Impress me..." he replied huskily.

She threw herself at him, driving him back a few paces before stuffing her tongue into his beak. While he moaned with pleasure, she continued pushing him backwards until he met the rear wall.

She pinned him there and moved her beak to his neck, at which point she gave him a series of playful nips and licks, leaving Blu out of breath from the fusion of pleasure and pain.

"That feels... very thrilling. Keep going, Jewel..."

He proceeded to stroke her back with his wings, soaking up her body heat and absolutely enthralled by the feel of her silken coat.

Her head slipped lower, now caressing his chest sensually.

She could feel the fast-paced beating of his heart just beneath his skin, tempting her to maintain her ritual.

Blu closed his eyes and was preparing to release his inhibitions, but he felt Jewel's head inch even lower.

_No no no! Not now, not today. Children will have to wait for a later time. I better stop her before she pushes me over the edge..._

He threw open his eyes and shoved his wing under Jewel's head, forcing her to stop. She stared up at him with an utterly confused expression.

"Blu, what's wrong? Am I not satisfying you?"

He gently eased her off of him and stood up, his tail still sticking straight out in front of him due to its proximity to the wall.

"Of course you are, my love," he said while panting, "but we both swore to wait until next year before we try for children. If you keep going, I won't be able to hold myself back..."

He then braced himself, just in case Jewel converted her desires into an explosion of rage at his refusal of lovemaking.

Such an explosion never came.

She drew closer to him and replied sweetly, "I must have gotten carried away. We haven't been intimate like that since we got together. But you're right, we should hold off on creating little ones for the time being."

Blu released a heavy sigh of relief upon hearing that his mate agreed with him completely.

"I thought you were going to become angry and tear into me for a second."

Jewel took another step towards him, bringing their chests together luxuriously. She ran one of her primaries down the side of his face and replied, "I could never do that. I love you too much. Still, that doesn't mean we can't indulge ourselves in moderation."

"Agreed, my queen. Now that we are both cleansed of the trials that this day has handed us, let us continue sharing our love."

"I like the sound of that..."

Their beaks contacted once again, their tongues engaged in a slow waltz full of passion and innocence.

In that moment, everything fell into place for Blu.

The despair of the previous few hours was lost in the tide of sensation that Jewel induced in him, never to surface again.

He was experiencing first hand the power and gravity of love, a force that conquered all negativity and made him feel lucky to be alive. On top of that, an inseparable bond had been forged between him and the lovely creature known as Jewel, the very creature that was liquifying his soul at that very moment.

No matter how low the trials of life dragged him down, she would always be there to elevate him back to the planes of wonder and enlightenment.

He would be spending the rest of his life with her, sharing every breath, laugh, tear, wound, sorrow, and smile. In addition, they would eventually nurture a family together, an ordeal that was sure to keep them happy and quite occupied for many years after.

Nonetheless, that was in the future.

Although it would no doubt bring him unbridled happiness, he had to focus on the present, for he was experiencing a different sort of happiness at the moment.

It was an upbeat flood of pure love and everlasting warmth that could only be conjured by a kiss from the bird of his dreams, the goddess that was forever his: Jewel.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**And... that wraps up this story, everyone!**

**I'll keep this note short, for two stories are still sitting unfinished.**

**I want to give a huge thanks to ArmyOfOne1112, for without his input, this story would never have come to life. Well, not by my hand, anyways.**

**And, if you want to toss some praise my way, go ahead. It's the fuel that keeps me writing...**


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